Middle East News Israel
Buying Things In Isreal by Jack Devlin
General
Living and travelling costs in Israel are almost on a par with Western Europe, North America and Australasia, making it by far the most ‘expensive’ country outside the Persian Gulf in the Middle East region.
Small food kiosks (known as “”Pitzukhiot”") offer various snacks such as freshly roasted peanuts, sunflower, and melon seeds, soft drinks, cigarettes and candy. Take note that currently (Feb 2007) the price of a soft drink can is between 3 and 7 shekels and a 0.5CL bottle is generally one shekel more expensive than a can. Prices in tourist areas in big cities, especially tourist cities like Eilat can be up to 20 shekels per 0.5CL bottle, however often a small walk will reveal the more local places that will sell you 6 1.5CL bottles for as cheap as 14 shekels.
Currency and money matters
The Israeli unit of currency is the shekel (proper name = the New Israeli Shekel; in Hebrew, shekel chadash or sha-ch for short). Each shekel is divided into 100 agorot (singular: agorah). The common symbols for the shekel are NIS or â’. There are 10 agorot, 50 agorot, 1, 2, 5, and 10 shekel coins, and 20, 50, 100 & 200 shekel notes. $1 US equals about NIS 3.50; 1â’ equals about NIS 5.50; 1 equals about NIS 8.00 (April 2008).
ATMs are widely available in cities and towns and are connected to European and American banking systems – this is easily the best way to access funds without paying commission on travelers’ cheques! There are specific change storefronts that do not charge commission. Bank of America charged a service fee of five dollars for taking money from the ATM, so other banks probably do as well. Check with your specific bank. Note that post office branches change travellers cheques (and cash) commission-free. Cash can also be sent to post office branches using Western Union services.
You can get V.A.T. (15.5%, Jan 2007) refunds when leaving the country, but if you don’t like the queue at the airport, note that Eilat is a V.A.T. free city.
US Dollars are accepted in some tourist locations, particularly Jerusalem, at a rough exchange rate of 3 to 3.5 NIS to the dollar.
Business hours
The business days are Sunday through Friday in Jewish towns, allowing for observance of the Sabbath (“”Shabbat”") from sundown on Friday until sundown on Saturday. On Friday, many shops will close at about 14:30-15:00 to allow ample time return home before sundown. Many shops, especially in malls, will re-open on Saturday evening, at about 19:00 in winter, and 20:30 in summer. Some shops, especially outside city limits or in tourist areas, as well as 24-hour convenience stores, remain open on Saturdays. In Arab towns, shops are generally open 7 days a week.
Shops in malls and on major shopping streets are generally open from 9:30 to 21:00 daily. Banks and post offices, as well as some smaller shops, stick to traditional business hours of 8:30-19:00, with a lunch break from about 13:00 to 16:00, so do check.
Markets usually open and close early.
Bargaining
It is pretty common to bargain in most modern areas in Israel. When buying at shopping malls and the bigger places bargaining will be more difficult but is always worth a try to lower the price. Usually it’s easier to make a deal if you are buying multiple items than a single item.
It is quite common to bargain in bazaars and the more rural markets, and when buying second hand products. Prices in tourist areas such as the Old City of Jerusalem can routinely be haggled down to as low as 25% of the asking price.
[edit] Souvenirs
Israeli wine, kosher products, t-shirts, diamonds. Almost needless to say, Israel is one of the best countries for purchasing Judaica and Christian pilgrim trinkets.
While it is legal to purchase antiquities from the small number of government-licensed dealers, exporting antiquities from Israel is illegal, except with a written authorization from the Israel Antiquities Authority.
Find Israel buying and more useful information about Israel news, business on Israel directory
Article Source: http://www.earticlesonline.com/Article/Buying-Things-In-Isreal/381441
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